1. Field of the Invention
The present patent application relates to a forceps used for the surgical reduction of fractured facial bones.
2. Description of Related Art
Osteosynthesis systems are frequently used in maxillo-facial traumatology and orthopaedic surgery of maxillary bones, since they guarantee the perfect stability of stumps or fractured bone fragments. In particular, the use of metal plates to be fixed to stumps or fractured bone fragments with surgical screws is very diffused.
As a matter of fact, these plates are considered as the most suitable containment instruments to ensure the stability of bone fragments, which is an essential condition for the formation of callus.
Before fixing the surgical plates, however, it is necessary to carry out the surgical reduction of fractured bone segments, in order to restore their continuity.
Only after reduction the bone segments will be able to consolidate correctly from the physiological and functional viewpoint through the use of metal plates.
It must be noted that the instruments that are currently used for the surgical reduction of facial bone segments cannot be considered as fully satisfactory. Although they guarantee good functional efficiency, they are impaired by the fact that they require extremely long surgical time.
In particular, these instruments are represented by the so-called “metal splints” designed for application on dental arches as reduction-containment means.
This consolidated technology provides for the application of metal arches joined with metal wires to each tooth on dental arches. Reduction is therefore obtained by applying elastic traction or a block with metal wires between two metal arches (the aforementioned splints).
This allows for obtaining the reduction of fractured segments and, in mandibular fractures, a dental articulation (occlusion) compatible with the pre-existing anatomy.
As mentioned earlier, the execution of this technology on patients is an extremely long operation, and it takes approximately {fraction (30/60 )} minutes: firstly, the splints must be installed and then removed from the patient's mouth, after fixing the metal plates to the bone segments.